Page 15 of Bridesmaid By Chance
“Because he told me to—” He stops, catching himself, and then shakes his head. “Nothing you need to worry about. Shouldn’t have even mentioned it.”
Uhh…yeah, not getting off that easy.
“No, what did he say?” I ask, setting my pen on my notebook now. Consider my interest piqued.
“Nothing you need to worry about.” He nods at me. “Why don’t you take the rest of the day off? I’ve put you through enough today. I think I might hit up the gym, relieve some tension.”
The early dismissal, not going to work.
“You know, I’m a big girl. I can handle myself. I don’t need you worrying about my brother and what he might think. This is my job, and what I do at my job is my business.” There, that should put an end to it. Doesn’t stop me from mildly shaking because it’s the first time I’ve ever stood up for myself in front of Hudson.
And from the quirk in his brow, I’m going to guess he wasn’t expecting me to say such a thing.
“You’re twenty,” he counters.
Twenty-two.
I’m freaking twenty-two.
“Twenty-two,” I say, irritation creeping up my neck.
I hate when people discuss my age.
Despise it.
“Twenty-two? No, you’re not the same age as Everly. She always said you were younger.”
That’s a problem I’ve had my whole life—I’ve always looked younger than what I actually am. Probably something I’ll appreciate when I’m older, but right now, when I’m trying to be taken seriously, it’s not ideal.
I’m about a year behind in my pursuit of finding a career. I took a year off between high school and college, when I worked odd jobs to help pay the bills while Stacey started taking community college classes. She was always the smarter one between the two of us, so I thought it would be best for her to get started while I attempted to findmore grants to help me pay for college and started saving—and trying to figure out what I planned on doing with my life. Spoiler alert, still trying to figure that out.
“She was wrong,” I say, keeping my poise the best I can. “I’m twenty-two.”
“Either way, you’re still young,” he says.
Still young…
That stings.
Because that’s not how I feel.
I feel like I’ve seen life, I’ve experienced it.
I lost both parents at an early age and had to be raised by a crotchety old lady who barely took care of us. There were days when Stacey and I were helping our grandma get in and out of bed before we went to school, while Jude was out working, providing for all of us. Housing wasn’t stable all the time because there were moments when our grandma would make us fend for ourselves.
I’ve been forced to grow up much quicker than others.
I’ve seen more people exit my life than enter it.
I’ve worried about paying bills along with my siblings. I’ve known what it’s like to not have running water for a few days, or electricity.
I’ve spent the night in a car, huddled next to my sister.
I know what it’s like to make it to the soup kitchen just in time to get a warm meal for the night.
There is nothing young about my soul.
And the fact that all he can see is the number over my head, that’s…that’s insulting to me.
